Welsh Labour Defends Cuts to Pensioners' Winter Fuel Payments

Chancellor Rachel Reeves cites £22 billion public finance deficit as reason for targeting support to low-income pensioners.

The UK government will end universal winter fuel payments for pensioners, limiting them to those on means-tested benefits and pension credits.
Welsh Labour Minister Jane Hutt defended the cuts, stating that difficult decisions are necessary due to a £22 billion public finance deficit.
Conservative members of the Senedd argued the cuts could lead to increased fuel poverty and potentially 4,000 excess deaths among pensioners.
The Welsh government has no control over the payments but faced criticism for not opposing the UK Labour's policy more strongly.
The motion to restore universal winter fuel payments was narrowly defeated in the Senedd, with Labour members largely absent from the debate.